Success

Success is so personal, yet often stubbornly defined by society and time.  I am successful if I...own my own house, have a job, get good marks.  Yet, this is very culture and time specific and very narrow.

I'm reading a book called "The Old-Time Maori" by Makereti. The chapter on children is very insightful.  It explains how when a marriage took place in the old days, one of the most important things were the children they would have.  Whether boys or girls, they were all welcomed, no matter what class.  Mothers were looked after with whatever foods they wanted.  The birthing experience much different to modern times.  I am left with an impression of children being much loved and well cared for.  It says they were never hit, and parents were always kind, this parenting style strengthened the bond of affection.

 Between the ages of 3 and 9 Maori children enjoyed a great deal of freedom.  Free to play when and where he likes.  A child knew how to keep safe around fire or boiling water.  This I find interesting "The children were fond of takaro (play).  They had few toys, yet they amused themselves making mud pies, playing hunahuna (hide and seek), punga, and many other games." Makereti (1938, p138)  How wonderful to learn the importance of play in learning.

Makereti discusses on a couple of occasions, how children were taught to be unselfish by being asked to share some of a special meal with other members of the whanau.  Mothers taught their daughters many lessons, like how to look after elders, by not allowing them to carry water.  "No child was ever ordered but was always asked in a kindly way to help.  I am sure that this is the reason why children looked at work as a pleasure in the old days." Makereti (1938, p139)    By the age of 8 or 10 or more, the daughter knew all the duties expected which her mother performed.  For example, she could light the fire, garden, or sweep the floors. 

Boys were taught from the age of 6 to that of 15, 16 by their father.  The same as a girl, to be hospitable, generous and to share any delicacy they may be eating.   As they grew up they learnt beside their fathers.   Gardening, fishing, hunting.  By the time they were 8 or 9, they had learnt a good deal about these and other methods of getting food.  Boys went with their fathers and relatives to the forest and watched them cutting down trees and using them.  He was taught customs and arts. At night, children would lie beside father or grandfather and hear the stories of his people.  By the age of 10, they could repeat his genealogy.

Makereti speaks about all types of children.  Naughty ones, quarrelsome children, industrious, lazy.  All given certain names.  She says "many of the terms were of course applied to grown-ups as well, but in the old days so much time was taken up by work that there was little room for idleness.

I am struck by the different definition of success in this early Maori culture.  Play is success.  Dispositional learning and everyday work is a success.   I think of some of my Ākonga (learners) and put this lens on them and instead of being 'troubled, dis-regulated and naughty' they are amazing, talented and purposeful.  Our school system struggles to accommodate practical learning.  Firstly, our inside classrooms with desks and chairs, feel removed from daily life even today.  Little time is spent outdoors.  Our lessons, seem removed from reality, and are mostly 'pretend or simulated'.  The way we treat our students is often by dictating respect.  Much of our learning is individual as opposed to collaborative.  Children are required to learn literacy sometimes, before 4 years old through worksheets, and teacher directed lessons. 

I also imagine that children I read about in this book, held in such high esteem as being given the opportunity to self-direct.  Deciding what to do and when within an established routine, being encouraged by a multi-aged community, learning through watching, trial and error.  Modern society has achieved systems which are the opposite of early Maori. 

Maybe that is why as an Educator I look for many ways to define success.  Modern learning environments are certainly enabling this.  I have noticed how working collaboratively helps Kaiako have multiple viewpoints of Ākonga.  At my Kura, at the moment for example, we have 100, 5 to 7 year olds and 6 Kaiako.  Working together has enabled us to see our environment as one whole.  The Ākonga are able to move within the whole space, even outside whenever they want, except for a few times a day, and even within that, Kaiako have designed learning around them.  From the moment Akonga arrive, we are working successfully.  Strengths are being encouraged.   We have a kitchen where food is available and able to be made at any time.  The creative dramatic space encourages Ākonga to play imaginative games.  The construction space invites building with many different materials and then there is an art and craft space.  My favourite the outside, is welcoming, safe, a place where anything is possible.  Sandpits, for digging, frames for building, carpentry, bars for climbing, water, a garden, book nooks and pens for designing.  Each space has a dedicated educator who has lovingly, purposefully set up a space where Akonga can learn to direct themselves.  From the moment Akonga arrive, they are free to decide what they will do, within our established routine we call school.

I was thinking the other day that this self-direction isn't just one-sided.  The adult, partners with the child and a type of tug of war, tension occurs between them.  I think this tension is what relationships are made of.  Tension is perhaps what makes freedom possible.  It is positive tension.  The adult keeps out of the child's way unless needed or unless they think they can offer something helpful to the learning.  This 'dance', is one of the most difficult skills required of a teacher in our learning space.

I imagine, this 'dance', is not too different to early Maori life, where the environment already set in real life, had adults and young people of all ages, partnering with the children to help them learn.  Yes, the context is very different, but the skills required of the adult are similar.  I like to imagine, Mum, stepping in to help her tama iti light the fire, talking to him about what she is doing and why.  I imagine, that the children listened to everything going on around them and soaked it up and tried it out themselves through play.   Educationalist  Kimberley Crisp describes this as 'downloading'. 
Successful, natural learning.  Everyone knew how treasured they were and what they were good at.

How are you defining success within your teaching?  How does this affect which Ākonga are successful?

Makereti, (1938). The Old-Time Maori. Wellington. New Zealand, New Womans Press.